Data shows that students paid $37,563 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $2,068 more than the previous school year.
Among the 28 institutions providing full disclosure in the county, the University of Pennsylvania stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $63,452. Drexel University followed with an average of $58,965 per year. Curtis Institute of Music students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $5,930.
At the time, at least $323.9 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Philadelphia County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $89.6 million.
Currently there are 29 higher education institutions in Philadelphia County, including University of the Arts, Saint Joseph's University, and Peirce College.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 29 institutions in Philadelphia County, Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Family University | 338 | $8,741,289 | $25,862 | 254 | $2,087,358 | $8,218 |
| Empire Beauty School-NE Philadelphia | 26 | $163,141 | $6,275 | 32 | $241,078 | $7,534 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Philadelphia | 278 | $1,281,515 | $4,610 | 248 | $2,076,358 | $8,372 |
| Walnut Hill College | 35 | $120,420 | $3,441 | 63 | $448,210 | $7,114 |
| Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia | 112 | $624,512 | $5,576 | 116 | $975,250 | $8,407 |
| La Salle University | 549 | $14,168,549 | $25,808 | 367 | $3,805,762 | $10,370 |
| Health and Technology Training Institute | 25 | $132,565 | $5,303 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Philadelphia Technician Training | 548 | $2,959,163 | $5,400 | 529 | $3,864,031 | $7,304 |
| Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia | 132 | $678,651 | $5,141 | 132 | $871,553 | $6,603 |
| Studio Incamminati | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Thomas Jefferson University | 756 | $24,995,869 | $33,063 | 705 | $4,086,526 | $5,796 |
| ASPIRA City College | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Temple University | 4,119 | $48,978,210 | $11,891 | 2,854 | $31,920,789 | $11,185 |
| Community College of Philadelphia | 1,021 | $8,002,173 | $7,838 | 360 | $2,046,860 | $5,686 |
| Moore College of Art and Design | 113 | $2,742,119 | $24,267 | 98 | $1,415,930 | $14,448 |
| Jean Madeline Aveda Institute | 78 | $337,964 | $4,333 | 118 | $1,032,016 | $8,746 |
| Saint Joseph's University | 1,092 | $32,105,265 | $29,400 | 701 | $7,728,265 | $11,025 |
| Drexel University | 2,885 | $97,091,505 | $33,654 | 1,764 | $19,105,167 | $10,831 |
| Curtis Institute of Music | 33 | $290,263 | $8,796 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | 34 | $262,812 | $7,730 | 39 | $299,048 | $7,668 |
| Chestnut Hill College | 141 | $4,193,839 | $29,744 | 121 | $872,891 | $7,214 |
| Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia | 22 | $232,800 | $10,582 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| Orleans Technical College | 128 | $1,345,474 | $10,512 | 121 | $680,519 | $5,624 |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | 19 | $360,761 | $18,987 | 12 | $161,357 | $13,446 |
| University of the Arts | 182 | $4,790,981 | $26,324 | 169 | $1,944,074 | $11,503 |
| Peirce College | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 1,160 | $69,276,035 | $59,721 | 289 | $3,905,024 | $13,512 |
| Jna Institute of Culinary Arts | 0 | $0 | $0 | 7 | $58,643 | $8,378 |
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